DFER-NY

We were founded in 2007 as Democrats for Education Reform (DFER). We are a national political organization that elects and supports Democratic leaders who advocate for public education. We aim to help all students, especially students of color, those from low-income backgrounds, and other historically underserved students.

We lobby and lead campaigns for federal and state legislation. Our policy goals include more accountability for schools, greater public school choice, fairer distribution of resources, better teacher training, and more affordable higher education. We provide legislators and advocates with resources, including messaging, data, and policy solutions. We also give state leaders research, strategy, and advice for education policy. Additionally, we conduct and share polling to help leaders understand public opinion on key education topics and offer strategic advice to shape federal education policy. We partner with our affiliate, Education Reform Now, on policy research.

We have supported 180 candidates at the federal, state, and local levels, and directly supported 107 races in the ‘24 Primary and General Election cycles. Our affiliate, ConcordPOP, conducted 74 Primary Election Polls.

Our mission is to create policies that increase opportunities and address inequities in education. We work to ensure Democrats lead efforts to improve and redesign education systems.

We have a small team, typically 1-10 people, and we support remote or hybrid work. Our roles often involve working closely with executive leadership, program staff, development teams, and external auditors. We focus on strategic financial planning, strong internal controls, and using data for decisions. Our work also includes developing and implementing policy, forming partnerships, and working with state leaders.

We offer health, vision, and dental coverage, plus a flexible spending plan. Employees receive life insurance and short- and long-term disability insurance. We provide a 401(k) plan with a company match and paid family leave. Our paid time off includes vacation, sick time, floating holidays, and all National holidays.